If there was any question whether Luka Doncic would put on a show for Dallas Mavericks fans in his first game back at American Airlines Center, he answered it quickly. The former Maverick and current Los Angeles Lakers star went off for 31 points and six three-pointers—just in the first half. He ended the game with 45 points and a 112-97 win in the emotional return.
He was an efficient 11-for-16 from the field and 6-for-8 from three in the first 24 minutes of the game, putting on a shotmaking display for the fans he played in front of for seven seasons. He ended the game with eight rebounds, six assists and four steals alongside the 45-piece.
It wasn't just the fans Doncic flaunted for, too. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison, who executed the league-altering deal, looked on from the tunnel.
"He's taken a huge risk. And we don't know how this long-term is gonna work out. But initially, at least for this year...it's been a disaster for the Mavericks."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 10, 2025
Mike Breen on Nico Harrison and the Luka Dončić trade. pic.twitter.com/pItLnIic7g
Dallas fans started a chant campaigning for the Mavs to fire Harrison, while cheering for Doncic after every made shot and stroll off the court.
In his first half back in Dallas, Doncic put on a shotmaking clinic, exploding for 31 points in 19 minutes of play.
31 POINTS FOR LUKA DONČIĆ IN HIS FIRST HALF BACK IN DALLAS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/PVzxeTrMFD
— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2025
It may or may not have been personal, and he may not even know Harrison was watching through the crowd, but Doncic certainly had a little extra juice Wednesday night after an emotional start to the game.
The Lakers beat the Mavericks 112-97 and advanced to 49-31 on the season, with a 1.5-game lead on the Western Conference's No. 3 seed with two regular-season games to go.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Luka Doncic Drops 45 Points in Front of Nico Harrison, Mavs in Emotional Dallas Return.
